She laughs. “Around about what you look like, Haley.”
There’s a grassy field not far from my house. I found an old piece of rope and tied ninety six pieces of long grass to the rope, and then tied it around my waist. I braided some of the long pieces of grass together and stuck flowers in them. There aren’t many flowers left, around here. Mother always says there’d be more if I didn’t pick them so much.
“Do you like my lei, Ma? Do you? It’s grass, mostly, ‘cuz there weren’t enough flowers.”
“That’s because you pick them so often.”
I sigh. “They’re too pretty to leave in the field, Ma. Aren’t they?”
“Yes. Now go get some real clothes on. You’ll freeze to death out there!”
“Won’t Ma! Oh, please, can I just stay out until the sun goes to bed?”
“Oh, alright. Until the sun goes down. And then you come in and warm up.”
-
Three days later, Mother died.
I look up from the bright pink rose that distracted me in the first place from the man I saw run away.
Best see what’s wrong. Haven’t had any major human contact in two years. Should be interesting.
“Haley!”
I look over at Mother. “Wha-at!”
“What in the world are you doing?”
“What’s Hawaii like, Ma?”
She laughs. “Around about what you look like, Haley.”
There’s a grassy field not far from my house. I found an old piece of rope and tied ninety six pieces of long grass to the rope, and then tied it around my waist. I braided some of the long pieces of grass together and stuck flowers in them. There aren’t many flowers left, around here. Mother always says there’d be more if I didn’t pick them so much.
“Do you like my lei, Ma? Do you? It’s grass, mostly, ‘cuz there weren’t enough flowers.”
“That’s because you pick them so often.”
I sigh. “They’re too pretty to leave in the field, Ma. Aren’t they?”
“Yes. Now go get some real clothes on. You’ll freeze to death out there!”
“Won’t Ma! Oh, please, can I just stay out until the sun goes to bed?”
“Oh, alright. Until the sun goes down. And then you come in and warm up.”
-
Three days later, Mother died.
I look up from the bright pink rose that distracted me in the first place from the man I saw run away.
Best see what’s wrong. Haven’t had any major human contact in two years. Should be interesting.